Diamonds
by Scarlet Eve
Summary: [one shot] The church bells rang, slicing through the early summer day. Birds nestling in nearby trees took flight, started by the sudden cacophony. The wooden doors to the old church burst open, revealing the newlywed couple. [broken pairing]


Diamonds  
by Scarlet Eve

* * *

Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays! Whichever you prefer. This fic came about because Relena for President requested a fic as a Christmas present, so here ya go, girlfriend!

The song is Extraordinary by Idina Menzel.

* * *

A.C. 209

The church bells rang, slicing through the early summer day. Birds nestling in nearby trees took flight, started by the sudden cacophony. The wooden doors to the old church burst open, revealing the newlywed couple.

Relena Harford né Darlian took a step down the worn, wooden steps, her arm linked through her new husband, Dayton Harford. She carried in her hands her bouquet of red and white roses and baby's breath, dripping in diamonds. Her dress was a cupcake of tulle and shimmering jewels. Beside her stood the regal husband, dressed to the nines in his black tuxedo, a single white rose in his lapel. He snuck a look at his new bride, a beaming smile on his face, unlikely to falter any time soon.

The black limousine waited in the street in front of the church. Dayton led his bride down the steps and gave her a hand to climb into the backseat, while the driver held the door open. Dayton hurried to the other side and slipped inside, sliding across the leather seat until his leg pressed against hers. He clasped her hand in his own, linking his fingers through her own, his finger touching on the diamond ring that sat nestled against the gleaming white gold wedding band. The limousine pulled away from the curb and onto the street, heading towards the reception hall a few kilometers away.

"Can you believe it's over?" Relena whispered breathlessly, staring up at his brown eyes with her own blues.

"Not yet," Dayton said with a smile. "There's still the reception." Relena waved a hand.

"That's for our guests. The wedding was for us," she said. Dayton's smile crawled wider and he leaned over, and pressed a kiss to her lips. Relena returned the kiss with fervor, feeling a hot blush crawl up her neck and into her cheeks. Dayton pulled away, still smiling.

"You've made me the happiest man on Earth and the Colonies," Dayton said, giving her hand a squeeze. Relena chuckled.

"Nonsense. Have you met all the men on Earth and in the Colonies?" she asked. Dayton shook his head and nestled his nose against her neck, a curl of hair tickling against his cheek.

"I don't need to," he declared. Relena couldn't help a giggle that escaped her when Dayton pressed a kiss to her neck.

"Not in the limo," she scolded, swatting at him with her free hand. Dayton lifted his head away from hers and brushed the curl from her face, tucking it behind her ear.

"Sorry, darling," he said. Relena pressed her lips into a smile and shook her head, the curl coming loose from behind her ear. She tucked it back and adjusted her veil, which had been thrown over her hair, a mask of gauze and rhinestones.

The limousine made the final turn into the reception hall and drove up the driveway to the front door. The vehicle rolled to a stop, and the driver jumped from the front seat, came around the side and whisked open the back door. He extended a hand, which Relena grasped as she pulled herself free from the confines of the beatseat. As her dress pulled free, the layers of tulle settled back around her waist, brushing against the ground, her train extending back several feet from her hips. She gathered a handful of tulle and pulled it up, freeing her feet to walk into the reception hall. Other cars and limousines arrived at the reception hall, pulling into parking spaces in the lot nearby.

Dayton took Relena's hand and led her into the reception hall, through the double doors and into the elaborately decorated room. Relena had little part of the decorations; she was far too busy with her job as Foreign Minister, and had left the job to her spunky wedding planners. The decor matched her bouquet - roses and diamonds, or at least faux sparkling diamonds that littered the floor with refracted light. Relena gazed around the room in awe, feeling like she was the small figurine on top of the exceptionally decorated wedding cake in the far corner.

"It's beautiful," she whispered, still taking in the sight. Dayton nodded his head, but his eyes were only on Relena. He couldn't care less about the decorations as long as the love of his life was by his side.

The reception director appeared from an elevator and waved the two over towards a small anteroom.

"Welcome to your reception," she said, a bright smile on her face. "You'll make your entrance from this room here." She waved her hand towards the anteroom. Relena and Dayton walked into the small room and stood together, waiting. Before long, the rest of the bridal party entered the room.

Hilde Maxwell grasped Relena's hands, new tears brimming in her eyes. "I'm so happy for you," Hilde said, pressing a kiss to Relena's cheek. Relena returned the gesture, a smile on her face.

"Thank you," Relena said. The other women of her party circled around her, prying her away from Dayton, who was surrounded by his best man and groomsmen. Dorothy hugged Relena tightly, and two of Relena's friends from high school did the same. The flurry of female energy bolstered Relena to get through the reception with a smile on her face. All she really wanted was to curl up in her pajamas with Dayton on the couch in their living room. Outside the door to the anteroom, voices and footsteps rose as the guests arrived at the reception hall. Relena glanced at the faces in the room, and sighed a happy sigh.

* * *

 _I probably had a bit too much to drink_

 _It's a little after midnight you are probably asleep_

 _I bet that you're surprised to hear from me_

* * *

The shuttle engines roared to life as Heero Yuy flipped the switches in the cockpit. The docking mechanism released the shuttle from its hold, and Heero gripped the controls with both hands. He navigated the shuttle from the docking bay and turned, pointing the nose of the shuttle into outer space.

He kicked up the engines and piloted away from the docking bay. On the control panel, he tapped in the coordinates of his destination and threw on the autopilot. The control panel beeped, acknowledging the switch, and Heero released the controls. In a few hours, he'd be back in range of Earth, where he'd return to the Preventer headquarters. He'd been away putting out fires for three months, and if Heero were honest, he was glad to be off Earth.

There was a wedding going on that he was more than glad to be unavailable to attend. Not that he would have gone anyway, had he been invited.

Heero rose from the pilot's chair and stretched his arms up over his head, his fingers brushing against the ceiling of the cockpit as his feet left the ground. He adjusted his Preventer jacket and floated through the cockpit door. Crates of supplies stood stacked and bound along the aisle near the locking bay doors, which needed to be put away in the cargo hold. In zero-G, it would be a simple task, but for a few hours, Heero thought the crates could wait. They would be unloaded on Earth anyway. Heero floated past the stacks, towards the living quarters. Inside his room, the communication screen blinked, indicating that a message had been sent. Heero grabbed a handle beside the screen and held himself in place while he tapped his communicator password into the panel, bringing up the message.

It was Duo. And he looked drunk.

"Hey buddy! Just wanted to say that you missed one helluva party! How has it been, floatin' around space without me? Pretty boring, I bet. Anyway, I talked to Une, and we'll be back together for the next mission that will start in about a month. So enjoy your Earth time while you can," he said, adding a wink at the end of his tirade. Heero rolled his eyes and shut off the message. He turned away and glanced around the room. A few items of clothing that he'd left out floated around the room. He grabbed these items and tossed them in a drawer below the bed. With little to do until he arrived at Earth, Heero grabbed his laptop, forced himself into a chair and strapped the laptop down. He typed away, working on his end of mission reports.

* * *

 _I still have your number memorized_

 _I know it's been eight years_

 _But I still got these butterflies_

 _I know I might sound crazy_

 _And you might be married_

 _And you might have moved on_

 _But I have to ask before my nerve is gone_

* * *

Relena left the ESUN capital building and crossed the street to the Preventer headquarters. The two towering structures mirrored each other in their reflective windows, stretching up above the streets of Brussels. Using her keycard, she swiped the access point and stepped into the revolving doors. The Preventer lobby opened up to her, gleaming tile floors against matte painted walls, decorated with plants and images of Preventers in action. A large desk stood off to one side, behind which sat the building receptionist, flanked by two Preventer security guards.

Relena waved a hand to them as she passed by, and they returned the greeting. She walked across the lobby, her heels clicking against the tile, echoing in the large space. She reached the panel of elevators and pressed the button to go up, stood back, and waited.

"Hey, princess!"

Relena turned and saw Duo cross the lobby, carrying a cardboard tray of coffee cups. His long braid bounced against his back as he walked.

"Duo," Relena said, smiling in greeting at the young man. He stood beside her, and the delicious smells of coffee wafted in her direction. She had a sudden craving for coffee, and wished that one of those cups was hers.

"You here for the board member meeting?" he asked, shifting the cup holder from one hand to the other.

"Yes," she said. "Third quarter meeting."

"Sounds boring," he said. Relena chuckled and shrugged her shoulders. A soft _ding_ alerted them to the arrival of the elevator. The shining doors slid open, and Relena and Duo stepped inside. Duo pressed the button for the sixth floor while Relena pressed the twelfth floor.

"They may not be interesting, but they're vital to the continuation of the Preventer organization," Relena chided, but Duo just waved a hand and rolled his eyes.

"I know, I know. Une has given me the lecture a million times," he said. "It always means that I'm stuck here instead of out on a mission, since my good ol' partner is on the board."

 _Heero Yuy_.

The name lingered between them, neither one taking the chance to speak. Relena shifted uncomfortably on her feet, her finger absently running across the dual bands that rested on her left ring finger.

"How's Dayton?" Duo asked, passing the moment by with his usual carefree nature. Relena smiled.

"He's fine. His company is actually working on forming a partnership with Winner Corp," Relena said.

"Huh, that'll make both of those guys rich," Duo commented.

"It'll be a highly beneficial partnership. The sharing of resources between the two companies will open up new opportunities to-"

Relena was cut off when the elevator doors opened on the sixth floor. Duo waved a hand to her and stepped off the elevator.

"I'll catch you later, princess," he said, and the doors slid closed. Relena sighed and waited as the elevator sped up six more floors. The doors opened once more, and Relena stepped out into the hallway.

The boardroom was at the end of the hallway, and as she walked, she passed by other conference rooms, doors half-open. Inside, she could see groups of Preventers leaning over the tables, conversing and planning whatever missions or projects they were tasked with.

Relena reached the end of the hallway and walked through the open door of the boardroom. The long room was mostly filled by the gleaming conference table, dotted with the speakerphone and microphone appendages that stretched in all directions. A large television screen mounted on the wall at the far end of the room showed the Preventer logo, rotating around in circles against a black background.

The table already boasted several members of the board, who were settling in with their coffee and water, piles of papers and tablets. Upon her entry, several members looked in her direction and waved or called 'hello.' Relena waved to the room and took a seat near the end of the table.

A moment later, Une entered the room, weighed down with papers and her tablet. She nodded to Relena and took her place at the head of the table, spreading her piles out in front of her. Relena turned on her own tablet and checked her email, trying to distract herself. The one person who made her nervous in every single meeting had yet to arrive, and she willed herself to act casual. Not that she ever succeeded.

As if he was in tune with her thoughts, Heero Yuy walked into the room. Relena glanced up and met his gaze for a brief moment before looking away. Heero walked around the table and took a seat on the opposite side from her. With much effort, she tried not to look up.

After nearly eight years, she could still feel the butterflies ravaging her insides.

* * *

 _Cause I always wonder_

 _If we could've have been something_

 _Or is it all in my mind and_

 _I always wonder_

 _Here I might have missed something_

 _That we left behind and_

 _Do you ever think of me_

 _And have you wondered could we be_

 _Something extraordinary_

* * *

Heero settled in the chair in the boardroom and removed his notes from his bag. Across the table, he could feel the gaze of Relena, occasionally landing on him. He couldn't help but look up and meet that blue-eyed gaze. When he did, his eyes immediately fell on her left hand, dripping in diamonds, glinting in the light from overhead. As if she knew he was staring, her right hand moved to cover the rings on her left, her hands clasped together in a demure posture that she once used so frequently. It was strange, now, to see it, when Heero was used to her more powerful postures.

The room filled with the Preventer board members, and soon, Une was calling the meeting to start. She used the screen at the end of the room to put up the agenda for the meeting and dove into the first items.

Heero couldn't concentrate. It wasn't as if this was the first time he'd seen Relena, but it was the first time since her wedding. And they would see each other, at minimum, every three months for the quarterly board meetings. Her friendship with Duo was another matter, which frequently brought the three into the same orbit. Duo had mentioned that he saw Relena in the elevator on the way up, and had mentioned that her new husband's company was going to form a partnership with Quatre's company. Heero couldn't fathom why Duo would think this information would be useful to him, but he listened anyway.

Heero glanced up from his work and caught Relena's eye again. Her rings flashed in the light, taunting him.

A few hours later, the meeting ended, and Heero managed to leave the room unscathed. Occasionally, he and Relena would come to blows over topics, and generally, her being more experienced with debate, would win out, and Heero would leave feeling beaten down. But this time, the meeting passed amicably enough. He made his way down the hall towards the elevator, and nearly made it, before he heard her call him name.

Heero froze in his step and turned.

"Heero," Relena said, a bit breathless from chasing him down the hallway in her tall heels, "I wanted to talk to you."

"About?" he asked. She shifted nervously, adjusting the strap of her bag on her shoulder.

"I just… I just wanted to say that... " Heero stared at her, eyebrow raised. It was so unlike her to be at a loss for words. "I hope that we can be friends," she finally blurted out. Heero blinked.

"I thought we were friends," he said. She pressed her lips into a line and tilted her head to the side.

"We are. It's just, I was hoping that we could talk, sometime," she said, stumbling over her words.

"What is there to talk about?" Heero asked, knowing full well how obstinate he was acting. Relena huffed.

"You know what there is to talk about," she said. Heero sighed and pressed the button for the elevator to go down.

"I don't think we're on the same page," Heero said. "I don't particularly have anything to say to you. Except-" He glanced at her finger one more time. "Congratulations."

Relena's face flushed red. The elevator arrived, and Heero stepped inside. He waited a moment, to see if Relena would join him, but she just stared at him, blushing, until the double doors slid closed.

* * *

 _I still remember how you looked at me_

 _You took me in like there was no where else you'd rather be_

 _And you made me feel beautiful_

 _I made a lot of mistakes_

 _I'm not a kid anymore_

 _But I'll never forget that I couldn't be yours_

* * *

Duo and Hilde's baby shower took place in the backyard of Relena and Dayton's home. It was warm still, for autumn, and Relena had begged the couple to let her host the party. She had the room to invite as many people at Duo and Hilde wished, and plenty of room for the inflatable bounce castle that was currently rocking with the antics of children that came along to the party. A mound of gifts weighted down a table off to the side, surrounded by other, larger boxes. Duo and Hilde stood together in the center, arms around each other, talking to a set of parents from the Preventer agency.

Relena watched this from the patio that extended off the back of the house, a glass of champagne in her hand. Dayton appeared at her side and kissed her cheek.

"You throw one spectacular baby shower," he said. Relena flushed a bit and smiled.

"Thank you," she said. "It's the least I could do for them. Hilde and Duo were such a help during the wedding planning." Dayton chuckled.

"We couldn't have picked a more busy time for you," he said, making Relena laugh.

"Anytime would have been busy," she said, turning to face him. "I'm glad we did it, when we did, though." Dayton leaned down and pressed a kiss to her lips.

"Me too." Dayton touched her abdomen with gentle fingers. "And maybe we'll be next."

Relena felt heat rise in her cheeks. Having a baby was the next logical step in her marriage to Dayton, but was she ready for that step?

"Maybe," she echoed, staring at Hilde, whose baby bump stuck out in all its rounded glory.

"Relena! Dayton!"

The couple turned to see Quatre Winner step through the french doors onto the patio. He carried a gift bag in one hand, while the other vigorously shook Dayton's hand. Quatre stepped to Relena, drew her into a tight hug and they kissed one another's cheeks.

"Welcome," Relena said, pulling away from her friend. Quatre was all smiles.

"Thank you for inviting me," he said. "I'm glad I could be in town to make it."

"Convenient how that worked out," Dayton said with a wink. He had called a meeting with Quatre specifically to make sure the young CEO could make it to the baby shower. Relena and Dayton chuckled, just as the french doors opened once more.

Heero Yuy stepped out from the house onto the patio. He carried a small gift in his hands, carefully wrapped in light green paper. Relena's heart fluttered in her chest at the sight of him, surprised he even bothered to show up. Though he and Duo were friends, too. And the party wasn't about Relena, it was about Duo and Hilde.

He nodded in greeting to her and was accosted by Quatre, who fiercely hugged the taller man, clearly making Heero very uncomfortable. Quatre chatted to him at length, even when Heero left the patio to place his gift among the pile. Relena shifted on her feet, and on impulse, grabbed Dayton's hand and held it tightly.

"Something wrong?" he asked. Relena shook her head.

"No, just feeling nostalgic," she said. It was only a partial lie. Dayton smiled and circled an arm around her shoulders and pulled her to his side.

* * *

 _Cause I always wonder_

 _If we could've have been something_

 _Or is it all in my mind and_

 _I always wonder_

 _Here I might have missed something_

 _That we left behind and_

 _Do you ever think of me_

 _And have you wondered could we be_

 _Something extraordinary_

* * *

Heero knew his place was not at a baby shower, but out of an annoying feeling of loyalty to his long-time Preventer partner, he attended anyway, knowing that Relena and the Husband were hosting. It was the first time he'd seen them together since the wedding, thankfully, and Heero was annoyed to find that the sight irritated him.

Why should it? He and Relena had parted ways years ago, she determined to be friends, and he determined to just carry on with life in a peaceful world. Heero had tried to move on, dating other women, but he found that none of them ever compared to Relena. He knew he shouldn't compare anyone to her, who he would always hold in high esteem, but it wasn't easy. Their past, present, and likely their futures were too entwined for Heero to ever fully forget Relena and the time they shared together.

Heero barely listened to Quatre as the other former pilot talked his ear off. He wandered in the direction of Duo and Hilde, knowing he needed to congratulate them on procreating. Quatre followed, and the two of them slipped into the circle around the expecting couple.

"Heero! Quatre! You guys made it!" Duo cried, hugging both of them with an arm around the neck. Heero stiffened at second hug of the day. Duo drew back. "Thanks for coming."

"Congratulations!" Quatre chirped.

"Yeah, congrats," Heero echoed. Duo and Hilde beamed, and Heero glanced at Hilde's pregnant belly, swelling out under the dress she wore. If Heero were honest, he _was_ happy for them. They had been through as much shit during the wars as he, and they too deserved happiness in the world they helped create. Heero's qualm was attending a flowery baby shower instead of buying Duo a beer at the nearest pub.

Duo and Hilde were pulled away at the arrival of a new set of guests, leaving Heero and Quatre standing together, apparently some of the only single men at the party. Most of the guests were arriving in pairs, or groups of young women that Hilde knew from the hospital where she worked.

"How have you been?" Quatre asked him. Heero shrugged his shoulders.

"Fine," he answered. "Same as always."

"Any new women in your life?" Quatre asked, elbowing him in the side. Heero glanced at a group of nurses, still in their scrubs, who were giggling and chatting together. One of them, a blonde, barely concealed the fact that she was looking in his direction.

"No."

"Same here," Quatre said. "Too busy working for dating. Dorothy keeps prodding me to get myself out there, but I just can't really imagine anyone who would tolerate my working hours. Don't you think so?"

"Yeah."

"Besides, I have enough women in my life with all my sisters," Quatre said, his voice a little deadpan. At this, Heero cracked a smile. "Oh, Wufei and Sally are here," Quatre added, looking towards the french doors. Heero followed his gaze and saw his fellow Preventer agents walk out of the house, to be greeted by Relena and the Husband. At least with Wufei at the party, Heero could hang out with him, and they wouldn't have to talk to each other.

Heero waited while Wufei and Sally said hello to Duo and Hilde, dropped off their gifts on the table, and joined their little reunion circle. Wufei grunted a greeting to Heero, who returned it, and both fell into silence while Quatre and Sally chatted together, catching up on each other's lives.

* * *

 _I never forgot the way you kiss me_

 _I never forgot the way you touched me_

 _And once I thought I heard you say_

 _You love me_

* * *

The coffee shop near the ESUN headquarters bustled with activity. As patrons stepped through the sliding doors, they stamped their snow-covered feet off on the already soaked mat, and walked towards the counter. Smells of coffee and baked goods wafted through the air, mingling with the chatter of patrons seated at tables and in comfortable arm chairs. The espresso machine hissed every few minutes, heating milk to make drink after drink.

Relena stepped through the sliding doors and stamped her booted feet on the mat, with little effect. She sloshed through the soaked mat and stepped onto the salt-crusted tile floor, moving carefully to avoid slipping in a puddle of melted snow. She reached up and dusted the snow off the top of her head and from the shoulders of her fleece-lined parka. She hitched the strap of her bag up higher on her shoulder and approached the counter.

The young woman behind the counter smiled brightly. "Afternoon, Miss Relena!" she said. "The usual?"

"Yes, please," Relena said, returning the smile to the girl, who nodded and rang up Relena's double shot latte with almond milk. Relena paid for her drink and stepped aside to allow the next customer to order.

As she waited, she glanced around the coffee shop. Familiar faces from the ESUN headquarters stood out to her, and in one corner, she saw a group of young Preventer agents chatting over teas, coffees, and half-eaten muffins. Relena smiled and turned when she heard her name called. The young barista handed over the latte with a smile.

"Have a merry Christmas," the barista said.

"And you, too," Relena said. She took her latte and stepped away from the counter. She found an empty table in the corner of the coffee shop and sat down. She removed her coat and placed her bag on the seat beside her, pulled her tablet out and set it on the table. She turned it on with a press of a button and checked her email, sipping her super-charged latte. The bold espresso swallowed her tongue in flavor and heat, the almond milk barely cutting the bitterness of the beans. That was just the way Relena liked it.

Relena flicked through email after email that had piled up in the ten minutes it took her to walk from her office to the coffee shop. Changes to proposals, questions about budgets, Terraformation status reports, and other nonsensical emails from coworkers stacked on top of one another in a blur of text. After a moment, Relena turned off the tablet and pushed it away from her. She had left her office for a break from work, not to keep checking her endless stream of emails.

She took another sip of latte and leaned back in her chair, overextending her back just enough to feel a satisfying pop in her spine. Her hand ran through her hair, brushing out droplets of melted snow. Perhaps she should triple check her Christmas shopping list, and make sure she'd remembered to buy all the presents. Or maybe she could read the news, though that bordered heavily on 'work.'

 _Did I forget how to take a break?_

Relena frowned to herself and leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table, her latte cup between her fingers.

The door to the coffee shop opened and a gust of cold air blew through the room. Relena shivered as the cold air kissed the bare skin of her arms. Out of habit, she glanced towards the door and saw a familiar face had walked inside.

Heero Yuy.

His brown hair was flecked with snow, and his black Preventer jacket held a dusting on the shoulders. With his usual scowl, he stepped up to the counter and ordered a drink. Relena was too far away to hear what he ordered, but she heard his voice in his head: _Coffee. Black._

Relena tried to catch his eye, but it wasn't until he walked around to the other end of the counter that he saw her. His eyes lit up ever so slightly, and a small smile played on his lips. He took the coffee cup proffered by the barista and crossed the shop. He pulled out a chair on the other side of Relena's table and sat down.

"Fancy seeing you here," Relena said.

"I'm more surprised to see you here," Heero said, checking the watch on his wrist. "It's still normal working hours."

Relena shrugged. "I needed a break." Heero smiled and sipped at his black coffee.

"Tough day?" he asked.

"Just distracted by the holiday preparations," she said. With her hands wrapped around her latte cup, she noticed that Heero was glancing towards the diamonds perched on her finger. "So, what are you doing for the holiday?"

Heero shrugged his shoulders. "Same thing I do every year," he commented. "Duo and Hilde will probably invite me over."

"That's nice," Relena smiled. A silence fell between them while they both sipped at their drinks. "Heero… I…."

"Relena."

They stared at each other. "You don't have to say anything," Heero finally said, breaking the silence. "You are following your own path, just like I'm following mine. It's okay. I'm okay."

Relena blinked at him and a feeling of relief passed over her. "That makes me happy," she said. "I value your friendship too much to lose it."

Heero's lips twitched into smile.

"You won't," he said. Heero opened his mouth to say something else, but his phone began to ring. He answered it, and Relena looked away, trying not to listen, though the voice on the other end sounded like Colonel Une. Heero disconnected the call. "I have to get back to headquarters," he said.

"Okay. Merry Christmas, Heero," Relena said, watching him as he rose up from the table, coffee in hand.

"Merry Christmas, Relena."

* * *

 _I always wonder_

 _If we could've have been something_

 _Or is it all in my mind and_

 _I always wonder_

 _Here I might have missed something_

 _That we left behind and_

 _I never told you_

 _That you've been the one thing I have wanted all this time_

 _And do you ever think of me_

 _And have you wondered could we be_

 _Something extraordinary_

 _Extraordinary_

* * *

 _-SE_


End file.
